A former Team GB Member and mum of two from Chorley has recently been nominated and named as finalist in two awards programs.
In November Louise Walden-Edwards was recognised as a finalist at the ‘She Inspire’ Awards for Health, Fitness and Wellbeing.
On December 5 Louise attended the UK Coaching Awards Ceremony in Leeds as one of only three finalists and the only female finalist for Online Coach Of The Year.
For Louise, this year the awards did not bring victories with them in terms of the physical awards, however Louise sees the nominations and the finalist status as good as winning at this point in her career and family life.
"It is just a huge honour to even be nominated for such awards, especially when I see the big names up there too.
"Being a busy working mummy of two very lively little boys, aged five and two years, I have very little time to reflect or think about what I am achieving now.
"Very often the biggest achievement in my day is completing the school run on time!
"To be recognised for the work I am doing professionally and the changes I am making to people’s lives, means the world to me.
"I am so so humbled to be considered up there with some of the best in the business.”
Both the awards brought nominations from diverse backgrounds and very competitive entries.
Louise is a former British and International Ice Dance Champion, accolades she achieved over a decade ago with her now husband Owen Edwards.
After finishing competing in 2013, they then travelled the world for 5 years performing in of some the world’s best Ice Shows.
Louise continued: “The transition from elite level sport to ‘real life’ was so difficult, it still is to some extent.
"You have trained your whole life to think a certain way, to eat a certain way, your brain has been programmed to function solely for sport so when there is no sport, you lose yourself somewhat.
"Without a doubt it has been a process to get to where I am and we are right now personally and professionally.”
Initially after stopping performing, Louise was unsure where her career would take her next.
Since having children and after the COVID-19 pandemic, she re-evaluated her priorities and so tentatively and cautiously Louise began to teach skaters and non-skaters online.
A former Preston College Student with a background in sports science and having studied Personal Training at Runshaw College, Louise combined various areas of her fitness and ice skating expertise to educate people how to ‘be better’ for their life, whether that be within sport and daily life.
“A friend initially suggested I try working online but I was very apprehensive.
"How on earth was I going to teach skating online but do you know what it is amazing what I have achieved with my students.
"I now teach adults and children all over the world. I can be in Switzerland, London, Dallas, Minesotta, Ontario, Brussels, Scotland all in the same day sometimes.
"With my skaters I teach them to spin on spinning training aids, I teach them to jump without their skates on, we design choreography like we are face to face and we can talk technique and theory all day long.
"We do not let not physically being on the ice limit us and use it to our advantage.
"At a high level anyway 50% of our training would be done off the ice anyway, it is a fundamental part of an ice skaters success at any level. For example, if you can’t balance on one leg on the floor, how can you expect to do it on ice skating blades!
"It is no different with my non-skaters, I work with them just as enthusiastically but the focus is generally more for weight loss or health benefits.”
In September, Louise founded the VO:ICE Fitness & Wellbeing Academy - a Virtual Online “Academy”.
She continued: “I genuinely care about each and every one of my students whatever their age, location background or goal and I wanted to give us a presence, somewhere my students felt they could belong and somewhere to promote growth and expansion to help more people ultimately.
"I have a very people centred approach and believe in every single student relentlessly, when they begin to believe in themselves too, our potential together is limitless.”
Louise also works as the Figure Skating Expert and Sports Commentator for Eurosport and Discovery+ Channels and will be covering some of the major Championships again, in the new year.
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